February 23, 2008

CLINTON – In their season-opener that was originally scheduled for Millsaps but moved due to weather earlier in the week, the Majors dropped a pair to the 25th-ranked Lady Choctaws of MS College, 3-0 and 8-7 (9) in front of a solid crowd at the MC Softball Complex.

(Game 1) MS College plated the first run of the ballgame in the third inning to break a scoreless tie, putting the leadoff batter on base by way of an error and scoring her with two outs in the frame off an Adrienne Ard single to center.

They added single runs in the following two innings to take a 3-0 lead, highlighted by a leadoff, solo home run from freshman outfielder Jennifer Jones in the fourth.

Millsaps managed just two hits in the game off senior hurler Katie Perry, as the Metairie, La., native pitched a complete game shutout while striking out four to earn her first win of the year. Sophomore Kasey Thibodeaux picked up both hits for the Majors in the loss.

(Game 2) In the second game of the doubleheader, the offenses for both teams showed up in a big way. After three innings, the Lady Choctaws held a 3-1 lead, scoring one run in each of the stanzas. The Lady Majors scored three runs in the sixth inning on a three-run double by third baseman Jennifer McKinley before MC answered in the bottom of the sixth with three runs of their own to take a 6-5 lead heading into the final inning.

Millsaps tied the game up in the top of the seventh on a bunt single by catcher Haley Stevens that scored Thibodeaux after a leadoff walk. After a scoreless seventh for sophomore Brittney McAllister in the circle, the game went into extra innings.

With the "International Tie-Breaker" rule in effect, a runner was placed on second to leadoff the inning, as the two teams traded runs in the eighth to keep the game knotted at 7-7.

In the top of the ninth, Perry retired the Majors in order to help set up the win as Ard drove in junior Teri Dearman in on a walk-off single to right field to make the final 8-7 in extras.

Perry threw complete games in both contests, throwing over 250 pitches in the two wins. In the second game, the senior struck out 11 in her nine innings of work.

Millsaps (0-2) will be back in action tomorrow at the MC Softball Complex, playing Christian Brothers University (5-1) in an afternoon doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.